High-tension-current conductor and spark intensifier



March 4, 1930. J. s. M. HENDERSHOT 1,749,480

HIGH TENSION CURRENT CONDUCTOR AND SPARK INTENSIFIER Filed May 5, 1926 .mnnlll i Wm mum- Jg 60 1i 5 4; I0 53 .91 c v Plum I 0 I 1 HMIHIMTMIL-BI 43 3Z f f a 35 gvvuwnto p 7 v John .5. M. Hendershuf.

Patented Mar. 4, 1930 PATENT OFFICE Jomv s. M. HENDER-SHOT, or BOONTON, NEW JERSEY HIGH-TENSION-CURRENT CONDUCTOR AND SPARK INTENSIFIER Application filed May 5, 1926. Serial No. 106,939.

The present invention relates primarily to ignition systems for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a device wherein the high tension current of the system when passing to the spark plug of the engine will be caused to bridge a gap before reaching the firing points of the spark plug, thus resulting in an intensified spark being delivered at the firing point of the plug.

A further object of the invention is the provison of a high tension conductor having an intensifier at one end thereof in a manner so that when the conductor is connected with a spark plug, a gap will be formed between M the conductor and the central electrode ofthe spark plug. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combined high. tension current. conductor and spark intensifier embodying. r.. a novel type of connection between one end 7. In the present type of spark plug wires embodying an intensifier carried by one terminal of the wire,the intensifier is connected to the wire by means of bolts and nuts, and in which construction, considerable difiiculty has been experienced dueato the connection becoming loose by reason of the expansion and contraction of the supporting block of insulating material, and which loose connection results in improper functioning of the spark plug for firingof the explosive charge within the cylinder of the engine.

It is therefore a feature of this invention to overcome this loose connection between the conductor wire and intensifier, by so constructing the terminalof the conductor and so connecting the same with the intensifier as to prevent any liability of the connection becoming loose due to expansion and contraction of the supporting block of the intensifier.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentduring the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary sectional View through a portion of a motor vehicle and showing the device in use and connected between the ignition coil and one of the spark plugs of the vehicle engine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the manner of connecting the intensifier to one end of the high tension current conductor.

Flgure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View on line 33 of Figure 2.

I Figure 4 is a transverse section on line l4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank from WlllCll the conductor plate of the intensifier is formed.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the base or supporting block for the intensifier.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the terminal for the intensifier end of the conductor is formed.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the end of the conductor opposite to that end at which the intensifier is disposed and showing the manner of connecting the terminal to the conductor.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the blank from which the terminal as illustrated in Figure 8 may be formed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may designate the motor Vehicle, embodying an internal combustion engine B, said engine embodying a spark plug 0 which is adapted to receive a high tension current from the ignition coil D, as through the improved high tension current conductor and spark intensifier E.

The device E embodies an electric conductor 10 provided at opposite ends with terminals l1 and 12, and an intensifier 13 adapted for connection with the terminal 11.

The electric conductor 10 and which is intended for conveying a high tension current from the coil D to the spark plug C, embodies 'a conductor wire 15 which is heavily coated by a suitable insulating covering 16. This conductor 10 may be of any suitable type cai ing block 30 which pable of conveying a high tension current,

the same preferably being of cylindrical formation, with the conductor wire 15 extending axially through the covering 16.

The metal terminal 11, and which is preferably formed of sheet brass, embodies a substantially rectangular shaped main body portion 17 and a shank portion 18. The main body portion 17 is adapted to be clamped about one end of the conductor 10, and at the juncture of the shank 18 with the body por tion 17 anolfset 19 is provided for disposing the upper face 20 of the shank 18in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the conductor wire 15 and in a plane parallel with the axis of the tubular sleeve 21'formed by bending the body portion 17 about the cylindrical conductor 10. As will be observed in Figures 2 and 7, the side edges of the shank portion 18 are in converging relation to ward the body portion 17 forming a wedge shaped shank having its greatest width at its outer end. The sleeve 21is of course to be clamped tightly about the conductor 10, with the offset portion 19 engaging the flat end of the covering 16.

The terminal 12, and which is adapted for connection with the opposite end of the conductor 10 from that end to which the terminal 11 is connected, is also preferably made from sheet brass, and embodies a substantially rectangular shaped main body portion 22 and a shank portion 23. The body portion 22 is adapted to be clamped about the end of the conductor 10 into a sleeve 24, and provided at the juncture of the portions 22 and 23, is the offset portion 25 for disposing the upper face of the shank 23 in a plane parallel with the axis of the conductor wire 15. The'outer end of the terminal 12 is provided with an opening 26 for permitting of the terminal being readily connected to the binding post 27 of the coilD. Provided in the longitudinal edges of the shank 23, and preferably adjacent the inner end thereof, are transversely aligned slits 28 which provide tongues 29 which are adapted to be clamped over the bared end portion of the conductor wire 15, providing a good electrical connection be tween the wire 15 and terminal 12.

Referring now to the intensifier 13, and which is carried by the end of the conductor 10 at which the terminal 11 is disposed, the same includes an elongated base or supportis preferably formed of compressed fiber. Provided adjacent the outer end of the block 30, is an aperture 31 which is adapted to receive the stem or central electrode 22 of the spark plug C The block: 30 is preferably supported in right angular relation to the stem 22 of the spark plug, and be securely held in position by means of the usual binding nut '33 threaded upon the stem 22 where it projects upwardly past the porcelain of the spark plug. Formed in the'side edges of the block 30 and at the inner end of the block, are aligned longitudinally extending recesses 34 which provide a substantially T-shaped head 35 at the inner end of the block which forms a reduced neck portion 36 portion 41 having aligned slits 32 provided in its side edges and forming end clamping tongues 43 and '43, and intermediate clamping tongues 44 of greater width than the tongues 43 and 43, and of a width substantially equal to the length of the recess34 pro- 7 vided at the inner end of the block or base 30.' Formed at the rear edge of the body portion 41, is a rear clamping tongue 45 of a width substantially equal to the width of the block 30. Rising from the. forward edge of the body portion 41, is a bridge arm 46 which is bifurcated at its forward end, providing a pair of spaced sparking points 47' which are arcu'ated upwardly intermediate their ends with the terminals of the points'dispos'ed relatively nearthe upper end of the spark plug stem 22 in a manner to provide a suitable gap 60. The conductor'pl-ate 40 is disposed longitudinallyupon the upper surface of the block 30, with the intermediate clamping tongues 44 fitting in the opposite recesses 34 and clamped about the underside of the reduced portion or neck 36 of theblock as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The rear clamping tongue 45 is then clamped about the rear and bottom sides of the heel 37 of the supporting block, and thus it will be seen that the tongues 44 and 45 serve for rigid attachment of the conductor plate to the supporting block of the intensifier in a manner to prevent possible relative shifting of the members due to vibration. The shank portion 18 of the terminal 11 may then be placed flat upon the upper side of the body portion 41 of the conductor plate 40, and the forwardly disposed end clamping tongues 43 clamped about the outer end of the wedge shaped shank in a manner to prevent longitudinal sliding of the shanktoward the inner end of the intensifier. The offset portion 19. of the terminal will preventmovement of the terminal in one direction, while the tongues 43 engaging the inclined edges of the shank 18 will prevent lon itudinal shifting or with drawal of the terminal from the intensifier. Upon positioning of the shank 18 upon the upper side of the body portion 41, the pro ecting bared portion 5110f the conductor wire 15 will be disposed in a position whereby the rear end clamping tongues43 may be clamped aboutthe projecting end of the conductor wire for electrically connecting the wire to the intensifier. These rear clamping tongues 43 will also serve for further clamping the shank 18 to the conductor plate 40.

Thus it will be seen that a firm and good electrical connection is made between the conductor 10 and intensifier 13 without the em ploying of any fastening elements such as bolts or the like, and that expansion and contraction of the supporting block 30 will in no way tend to loosen the connection since the shank portion 18 of the terminal is clamped independently to the conductor plate 40.

Any expansion and contraction of the supporting block 30 will merely act upon, the inturned portions of the tongues 44 and 45 and will not in any way act upon the end clamping tongues which connect the terminal 11 with the conductor plate 40.

In attachingthe deviceto the spark plug, the block 30 may first be rigidly clamped to the stem of the spark plug as by the clamping bolts 33, and after which the yieldable arm 46 may be sprung downwardly until the points 47 are properly spaced with respect to the stem 22 for providing the desired gap 60.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that an extremely novel and efficient high tension current conductor and spark intensifier has been provided, whereby an intensified spark may be delivered to the spark plug of an internal combustion engine, and embodying novel features of construction whereby the intensifier may be efficiently connected with one end of the conductor without the employing of fastening elements which work loose due to various causes and form loose connections between the intensifier and conductor, resulting in improper functioning of the spark plug.

Changes in detail may be made to the specific form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims. I

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated block of insulating material having recesses provided in opposite edges adjacent the one end of the block and forming a neck portion and a heel portion, and a conductor plate comprising a body portion having aligned slits in its side edges, forming intermediate and end clamping tongues at each side of the body portion, and a clamping tongue formed at the rear edge of the body portion, said intermediate and rear clamping tongues clamped respectively about the neck and heel portions of the block for securing the conductor plate to the block, and said end clamping tongues adapted to be clamped about the terminal of a conductor wire for electrically connecting the wire to the conductor plate.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a high tension current conductor'wire, a terminal for one end of the wire including a tapering shank portion, an elongated supporting block of insulating material having a reduced neck portion adjacent its inner end, and a conductor plate disposed upon the upper side of the supporting block and embodying intermediate clamping tongues clamped about the reduced neck portion of the supporting block, and longitudinally spaced end clamping tongues, said end clamping tongues clamped about the tapering shank portion of said terminal for electrically connecting the shank to the conductor plate and the conductor wire to said shank portion.

JOHN S. M. HENDERSHOT. 

